Container



April 27, 1943. w TAYLOR 2,317,420

CONTAINER Filed Dec. 20, 1940 ATTO'ENEDYS Patented Apr. 27, 1943CONTAINER William E. Taylor, Riverside, Conn., assignor to American CanCompany, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey ApplicationDecember 20, 1940, Serial No. 371,034

Claims.

The present invention relates to a container having a pouring ordispensing spout or nozzle fitted with a cap which is adapted to be usedas a reclosure for the spout and has particular reference to a seal onthe spout which is broken by the removal of the cap and which serves toindicate tampering with the container or its contents.

An object therefore of the invention is the provision of a sealedpouring spout and cap combination for containers wherein the removal ofthe cap breaks the seal and opens the spout for use while permitting useof the cap on the spout as a reclosure.

Another object is the provision of such a pouring spout and capcombination wherein the cap threadedly engages over the spout and isinterlocked with a weakened integral seal portion thereof so that whenthe cap is unscrewed the seal portion of the spout is broken ofi to openit for use, the broken oif portion of the spout remaining in the cap ina position which in no way interferes with screwing the cap back ontothe spout for use as a reclosure cap.

Another object is the provision of a spout and cap combination of thischaracter which serves as a tell-tale to indicate that the container hasbeen tampered with, thus placing the purchaser of the container on guardagainst spurious goods.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentas it is better understood from the following description, which, takenin connection with the accompanying drawing, discloses a preferredembodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a sectional view of a sealed pouring spout and capcombination embodying the instant invention, the View illustrating thecap threadedly engaged on the spout prior to its removal, only a part ofthe spout being shown;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 and showing the cap partiallyremoved, the view indicating how the seal portion of the spout is brokenoff; and

Fig. 3 is an exploded sectional view showing the cap fully removed andin a position above the opened spout, the View illustrating how thebroken off seal portion of the spout remains in an out-of-the-wayposition in the cap.

As a preferred embodiment of the invention the drawing illustrates apouring spout ll having a cap [2 and constituting a spout and capcombination of the character used on sheet metal containers or cans inwhich oil and other liquids are sometimes packed.

The spout II is preferably made of a relatively soft, easily severablematerial, such as lead, or an amalgamation of metals resulting in a softmetal. The spout is formed with a dispensing tube or passageway I by wayof which the contents of the container to which the spout is attached,may be dispensed. The upper end of the spout is closed or sealed by asealing portion l5 which is integral with the spout wall and is extendedover the end of the passageway M.

The sealing part 15 provides a hermetic seal for the spout and thusprotects the contents of the container. This seal is important when thecontents of the container on which the spout is used contains certaingrades of oil, or highly volatile liquids. Such a seal is also anadvantage when the spout is formed as a part of a collapsible tube inwhich semiliquids or pastes may be contained and which are particularlysusceptible to evaporation.

Immediately adjacent the sealing part I5 the spout H is formed with anannular recess H. which sets olf an overhanging flange or ledge [8 onthe sealing part. The recess is sufficiently deep to provide a thinimperforate annular Wall section [9 at its base, constituting a weakenedportion of the spout and it is this easily severable wall section thatconnects the sealing part IS with the spout. It is also this wallsection that is adapted to be broken to open the spout for use as willbe hereinafter explained. Adjacent the wall section IS the spout isformed with an external screw thread 20 for threaded connection with thecap l2.

The cap I2 is preferably made of a relatively hard" material, such as alead alloy having a harder combining metal mixed with the lead. The capfits over the sealed end of the spout and is formed with an internalscrew thread 22 which cooperates with the spout thread 20 in providingthreaded engagement with the spout. Above the thread, the upper portionof the cap is provided with a pocket 23 in which the sealing part l5 ofthe spout is disposed when the cap is on the spout.

After the cap [2 is screwed into place on the spout ll, its side walladjacent the recess I1, is reformed or beaded by being forced inwardlyto provide either a plurality of spaced nodes, or as shown in thedrawing, an annular projection or shoulder 25. This shoulder extendsinto the spout recess I! and engages under the ledge l8 of the sealingpart l5. The cap is thereby held interlocked with or captive on thespout and can only be removed by forced turning. This retaining of thecap against displacement protects the sealing part I and preventstampering with the container contents.

As long as the cap [2 is in its initial position on the spout l I, thespout remains sealed. However, when the cap is forcibly unscrewed, itsinternal shoulder 25 presses upwardly against the under side of theledge l8 of the sealing part l5 and this pressure tends to elongate therelatively soft and weakened connecting Wall section l9 as shown in Fig.2. Continued turning of the cap ruptures the wall section L9 and thusbreaks off the top end of the spout which includes the sealing part l5.This opens the spout and thus frees the cap so that it may be entirelyremoved as shown in Fig. 3.

Thus this rupturing of the weakened wall. section H! which may only bedone by forcing the cap and which is readily detected by the personopening the spout, constitutesp'ositive assurance that the sealhas notbeen previously broken. If the cap unscrews easily without anyresistance when opened, there is an immediate indication that the sealhas been previously broken and the purchaser is thereby warned ofprobabie tarrpering.

Upon the breaking of the seal; when the cap I'2 is unscrewed, the brokenoff sealing part remains in place in the pocket 23 of the cap as shownin Fig. 3. lhe sealing part is thus confined in out-cf-the-way positionso that the cap may-be readily screwed-back onto the spout'without anyinterference, to reclose the spout when only a portion of the contentsof the container is desired be dispensed at one time.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantageswill be understood from the foregoing description, and it will beapparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction andarrangement of the parts withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope ofthe invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the formhereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. A pouring spout and cap combination for dispensing containers,comprising a threaded spout, and a threaded cap therefor, said spouthaving a break-off weakened part adjacent its outer end terminatingin anenlarged portion. of

increased thickness, said caphaving an inwardly extending projectionadapted to engage beneath said enlarged portion of the spout adjacentits weakened part, \vhereuponunscrewingof said cap when initiallyopening the spout breaks off the latter at its weakened part by. apulling action exerted thereon, to serve as a tell-tale for indicatingthat the spout has been opened.

2. A pouring spout and cap combination for dispensing containers,comprising a threaded spout and a threaded cap therefor, said spoutbeing recessed adjacent its outer end to provide a weakened section ofreduced thickness terminating in a laterally extending break-off ledge,said cap having a projection extending into said recess beneath andinwardly of said ledge, whereby unscrewing of said cap when initiallyope ing the spout engages said projection with the inner surface of saidledge to separate the latter from the remainder of said spout by anoutwardly exerted pulling action in a direction axially of said spout.

3. A pouring spout and cap combination for containers adapted to beopened by severing a portion of. the spout, which comprises a threadedspout and a threaded cap therefor, said spout being closed at its outerend with an integral sealing part having an overhanging ledge, said caphaving a projection which extends beneath and inwardly of said ledge,whereby unscrewing of said cap when initially opening the spout. engagessaid" projection with said ledge with an axially directed pulling actionthereon to break off the sealing part and upon said spout whileindicating tampering with the spout.

4. A pouring spout and cap combination for containers adapted to beopened by severing a portion of the spout, comprising a threaded spout,a threaded cap, said spout being closed at its outer end with anintegral sealing part, said spout also having an annular recessproviding an overhanging ledge for said sealing part, said cap uponapplication to said spout being reformed with an annular shoulderextending into said recess and under said ledge, whereby unscrewing ofsaid cap when initially opening the spout engages said shoulder withsaid ledge to break off the sealing,

par-t to open said spout while indicating tampering with the spout.

5. A pouring spout and cap combination for containers adapted to beopened by severing a portion of the spout, comprising a threaded spout,a threaded closure'cap, said spout being closed at its outer end with anintegral sealing part and'ha'ving an annular recess providing anoverhanging ledge for said sealing part, said cap having a pocket inwhich said sealing part is disposed when the cap is applied to thespout, said'capupon appllcationto said spout being reformed with anannular shoulder extending into said recess and under saidledge, wherebyunscrewing ofsaid cap when initially opening the spout engages saidshoulder with said ledge to break off the sealing part to open saidspout while indicating tampering with the spout, said'broken off sealingpart remaining'inthe pocket of the cap confined against displacement bysaid shoulderso that'the cap'may be screwed back on the spout and'usedas a reclosure cap;

WILLIAM E. TAYLOR.

